Tony splits revivals

This year’s Tony Awards will include, for the first time, separate prizes for best revival of a musical and a play. The decision was approved Thursday by the Tony administration committee.

The move was expected in a Broadway season that will include 10 play revivals and seven musical revivals. Though the separation is for this year only, there was some opposition from committee members who felt the category should not be divided, and who worried about adding more categories to the Tony broadcast, which struggles each year to come in at thetwo-hour mark allotted by CBS.

That concern is heightened as the League of American Theaters and Producers and the American Theater Wing, which co-produce the awards, prepare to renegotiate their contract with CBS.

The administration committee also decided not to make cast replacements eligible for Tonys.

The committee postponed until its May 12 meeting a decision on what, if any, special awards will be made at the June 12 ceremony.